If you're taking the LSAT, you'll encounter Flaw questions in the Logical Reasoning section. Students commonly struggle with determining how the author talks about a stimulus. Specifically, when reading and analyzing a stimulus, how do you determine whether the author has ignored a possibility or has made an assumption? What clues within the stimulus and/or what reading strategies help differentiate these two author approaches in … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 29: Flaw in the Reasoning Questions Part IV – What to Do When No Obvious Form of Reasoning is Present?
In this fourth and final edition of their Flaw in the Reasoning coverage, Dave and Jon explore one of the LSAT’s most nerve-wracking scenarios: correctly approaching Flaw questions where the error isn’t common or clear. So how do you solve for flaws you can’t identify? Tune in to find out! … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 27: Flaw in the Reasoning Questions Part III – Common Flaws
More Flaws! Episode 27 sees Jon and Dave add a third installment to their series on common logical flaws, this time tackling six key errors in total: Composition/Division, Uncertain Use of a Term, False Analogies, False Dilemmas, Relativity/Degree, and Sunk Cost. Make sure you’re familiar with each of these ideas before test day! … [Read more...]
LSAT Podcast Episode 24: Flaw in the Reasoning Questions Part I – Common Flaws
In Episode 24, Dave and Jon begin their multi-part analysis of Flaw in the Reasoning questions, first providing a detailed overview of this tricky question type and then exploring three common but misunderstood flaw categories: Evidence Errors, Source Arguments, and Circular Reasoning. Within each they break down how the error operates and ways to spot it, common scenarios using specific examples, and finally how the test makers represent these … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part X: Time Shift Errors
[Further Reading in Flaws in Logical Reasoning: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10] As we finish up this series on common flaws in logical reasoning, here's a reminder of where we started.The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend to … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part IX: Appeal to Emotion
We're at the final stretch! Before we can get to Part 9, here's a recap on our purpose as stated in the first post on Source Arguments.The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend to appear with some frequency. I’ll examine common mistakes that authors on the test make. This should … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part VIII: Appeal to Authority
Before continuing on to Part Eight of our flaws in LR on the LSAT, let’s review once more. Here’s how I began the first post in this series, where we looked at Source Arguments: The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend to appear with some frequency. I’ll examine common mistakes that … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part VII: Internal Contradiction
Part 7 is here! But before we get going on the topic of internal contradiction, let's start with a review the importance of this series Take a look at how I began the first post, where we looked at Source Arguments. The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend to appear with some frequency. … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part VI: Uncertain Use of a Term
Welcome back to our series on some of the common flaws you'll find in LR questions on the LSAT! We're already half way through and heading on to Part 6! Let's remember our roots with how I began the first post on Source Arguments in this series: The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part V: False Dilemma
Part Five of our series examining common flaws in LR questions is here! But, before we continue, here's a recap of our mission as stated in the first post on Source Arguments. The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend to appear with some frequency. I’ll examine common mistakes that … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part IV: Errors of Composition and Division
Let's recap the purpose pf this series before we tackle Part Four. Why is it so important to understand these argumentative errors? Here’s how we started the series when looking at Source Arguments: Considering the vast majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions will have an argument in their stimulus, and the vast majority of those arguments will contain some sort of flawed reasoning, I thought I would take a moment to address a variety of … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part III: Exceptional Cases and Over-generalizations
Before continuing with Part Three of our Flaws in Logical Reasoning series, let’s review the importance of understanding argumentative errors. Here’s how I began the series when we looked at Source Arguments: The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend to appear with some frequency. I’ll … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part II: Circular Reasoning
Before we continue examining common flaws in LSAT LR questions, let’s review the importance of understanding these argumentative errors. Here’s how I began the first post in this series, where we looked at Source Arguments: The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend to appear with some … [Read more...]
Flaws in Logical Reasoning Part I: Source Arguments
The majority of LSAT Logical Reasoning questions have an argument in their stimulus and most will contain some sort of flawed reasoning. In this series, we will address a variety of the flaws that tend to appear with some frequency. I’ll examine common mistakes that authors on the test make. This should prove useful for Flaw in the Reasoning questions (which account for about 15% of LR questions.) It should also help with other question types … [Read more...]